New Delhi, Aug 4 (PTI) It threw up challenges, both sporting and administrative, validated major plans but also highlighted the need to course correct in few aspects. The just-concluded Commonwealth Games was akin to a mid-term exam for the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
The nodal body under the Sports Ministry that is responsible for conducting national camps, overseeing selection, and monitoring the training and competition calendar of athletes, is celebrating the “more than expected” medal count of 39, which includes 13 gold and 17 silver medals.
At the same time, its push for greater support to swimming and cycling got a reality check at the Games thanks to medal-less and underwhelming show.
In addition, logistical issues such as boxers and judo players not receiving their baggage on time after arriving in Glasgow have been noted as administrative concerns to be addressed going forward.
“The brightest aspect of this tally is the judo performance (two gold, one silver and one bronze). Yes, swimming and cycling remain work in progress and it is still time before we become truly competitive. Boxing is another positive. You might say the competition shrunk this time but that’s not our fault. We fight whoever is in front of us,” acknowledged a senior SAI official in a conversation with PTI.
“In weightlifting we should have got may be two gold medals instead of one (Mirabai Chanu).” India participated in 12 judo events in Glasgow and won four medals — two gold, one silver and one bronze, compared to three medals, minus any gold, in 2022. This was despite the fact that a couple of judokas had to be withdrawn due to anti-doping offences prior to the team’s departure.
The boxing contingent topped the medal tally with a haul of 10 medals, including seven gold and three silver.
“There are some administrative issues as well. Some course correction is needed on that front, like athletes not receiving their baggage. Perhaps it would be a good idea to have a points person with the team, specifically instructed to handle these things in future Games.
But overall, the sense of relief is palpable following the fourth-place finish because the final tally ended up being way higher than the pre-Games internal estimate of 25.
“It just shows that the efforts directed towards aspects such as build-up training at locations which had conditions similar to Glasgow paid off. For instance long-distance runner Gulveer Singh has been in Colorado, USA almost entirely for the last two years,” the official said.
Gulveer became the first Indian to win a 10,000m silver in the Games and also picked up a bronze in the 5000m competition, making him the country’s first track athlete with two medals in the same edition of the event.
“Injury management is another area where we feel there has been significant improvement. Tejaswin Shankar is a prime example. His knee issue flared up during the high jump competition, forcing him to retire but he was eventually able to compete in decathlon within a couple of days,” said the SAI official, citing his gritty bronze-winning performance in what is considered the most gruelling discipline in athletics.
The government’s flagship Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) has been central to elite athletes training and preparations. Under the scheme selected athletes’ training is funded and they are also provided a monthly stipend to cover their other expenses including nutritional needs.
In the last five years, the TOPS expenditure has stood at Rs 125.44 crore, with the 2024-26 spending amounting to Rs 51.92 crore. These figures were revealed by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in response to a query on TOPS a few days ago.
A total of 369 elite athletes, including para-athletes, are being currently supported under TOPS as part of the preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games.
Sports Ministry also pleased ================== Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya made a presentation before the MPs from the ruling NDA on Wednesday in which he highlighted India’s growth.
The truncated Glasgow Games featured only 10 disciplines of which a mere eight were there in the previous two editions as well.
A comparative analysis of the performance showed that India secured a higher gold medal count as well as a higher overall tally this time. The 39 medals achieved this time were significantly more than 30 (2022) and 22 (2018) in the previous two editions.
“The government has put in the efforts in the last decade. And the results are there to be seen,” he said on Wednesday.
But up ahead is the Asian Games come September-October in Japan It could well be a major reality check for disciplines such as boxing and judo even though shooting, wrestling and badminton would be back in the mix to shore up the numbers on the medals table. PTI PM MRM MRM
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.